The New Zealand medical journal
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New Zealand must commit to substantial decreases in its greenhouse gas emissions, to avoid the worst impacts of climate change on human health, both here and internationally. We have the fourth highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the developed world. Based on the need to limit warming to 2 degrees C by 2100, our cumulative emissions, and our capability to mitigate, New Zealand should at least halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 (i.e. a target of at least 40% less than 1990 levels). ⋯ Short-term economic costs of mitigation have been widely overstated in public debate. They must also be balanced by the far greater costs caused by inertia and the substantial health and social benefits that can be achieved by a low emissions society. Large emissions reductions are achievable if we mobilise New Zealand society and let technology follow the signal of a responsible target.
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Comparative Study
Survey of descriptors on cigarette packs: still misleading consumers?
In September 2008, the New Zealand (NZ) Commerce Commission issued a warning to the major tobacco companies to remove "light" and "mild" descriptors from cigarette packaging. Despite published evidence that suggested tobacco companies had started colour-coding their packs in anticipation of the Commission's decision, the investigation did not consider more general misleading packaging. This study explored changes in tobacco packaging that had been introduced to the New Zealand market, by surveying descriptors used on cigarette packs after the Commerce Commission's warning. ⋯ Although the words "light" and "mild" have been largely removed from tobacco packaging in the New Zealand market, these words have been replaced with associated colours or other words that may continue to communicate "reduced harm" messages to consumers. Further research to test how smokers interpret the new words and colours, and how these influence their behaviour, is desirable. However, government-mandated generic (plain) packaging would remove the opportunity to communicate misleading claims and so would afford the highest level of consumer protection.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Alcohol and injury: a survey in primary care settings.
Several high profile events in Dunedin have focused attention on alcohol-related harm in the city. We sought to obtain local information regarding alcohol use and drinking location in order to better inform planning for local strategies to reduce alcohol-related harm in the future. ⋯ These results provide new information with respect to the role of drinking location in alcohol-related harm, in particular the important role of drinking in private homes. It also demonstrates the association between alcohol and injury in primary care settings in New Zealand. The current review of the Sale of Liquor Act is timely and should consider restricting the availability of alcohol in on and off licensed premises in order to minimise hazardous drinking in a range of drinking locations.
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Comparative Study
Alcohol-related harm to others: a survey of physical and sexual assault in New Zealand.
To describe the 12-month prevalence of physical and sexual assault, and the association of assault with drinking by the perpetrator. ⋯ Alcohol use by someone other than the victim is involved in more than half of reported assaults. Our findings suggest that, in New Zealand, more than 62,000 physical assaults and 10,000 sexual assaults occur every year which involve a perpetrator who has been drinking. Of these, 10,500 incidents require medical attention and 17,000 involve police. This burden can be reduced using population-based strategies of demonstrated effectiveness.